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great write up Rob. killing the ego...I imagine this must have been very difficult for the band (trey especially) to change after working and striving to make it for so many years. a certain amount of ego must be required for an up and coming band, I would think. To make it to the top and then be able to completely re-invent yourself as a band - its a marvel, and maybe helps explain why it took over a year for this evolution to come to fruition.

I kinda wonder how this ties into some quotes from Trey in the last half decade or so saying, essentially, 'i stopped playing lead guitar in 95 because everything had gotten too big and it was too much pressure to lead the band anymore'. maybe this is just happy coincidence? or was their 96 Halloween selection chosen for that exact reason - to move the band into a more democratic space and take some pressure of Trey? perhaps.

it makes me wonder though, if Jerry were around a bit longer and Phish's scene didnt blow up like it did in 95, would this evolution have happened?

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Excellent observations

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